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Side-by-side financial comparison of Principal Financial Group (PFG) and STEPAN CO (SCL). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Principal Financial Group is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($750.8M vs $604.5M, roughly 1.2× STEPAN CO). STEPAN CO runs the higher net margin — 3.3% vs 0.3%, a 3.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Principal Financial Group posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.0% vs 1.9%). Over the past eight quarters, STEPAN CO's revenue compounded faster (4.2% CAGR vs -58.3%).

Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) is an American global financial investment management and insurance company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, United States.

Stepan Company is an American manufacturer of specialty chemicals headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois. The company was founded in 1932 by Alfred C. Stepan, Jr., and has approximately 2,000 employees. It is currently run by his grandson, F. Quinn Stepan, Jr. The company describes itself as the largest global merchant manufacturer of anionic surfactants, which are used to enhance the foaming and cleaning capabilities of detergents, shampoos, toothpastes, and cosmetics.

PFG vs SCL — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
PFG
PFG
1.2× larger
PFG
$750.8M
$604.5M
SCL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
PFG
PFG
+2.1% gap
PFG
4.0%
1.9%
SCL
Higher net margin
SCL
SCL
3.0% more per $
SCL
3.3%
0.3%
PFG
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
SCL
SCL
Annualised
SCL
4.2%
-58.3%
PFG

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Revenue
$750.8M
$604.5M
Net Profit
$1.9M
$19.7M
Gross Margin
10.7%
Operating Margin
4.7%
Net Margin
0.3%
3.3%
Revenue YoY
4.0%
1.9%
Net Profit YoY
783.0%
EPS (diluted)
$0.86

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$750.8M
$604.5M
Q4 25
$4.6B
$553.9M
Q3 25
$3.7B
$590.3M
Q2 25
$3.7B
$594.7M
Q1 25
$3.7B
$593.3M
Q4 24
$4.8B
$525.6M
Q3 24
$3.0B
$546.8M
Q2 24
$4.3B
$556.4M
Net Profit
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$1.9M
$19.7M
Q4 25
$517.0M
$5.0M
Q3 25
$213.8M
$10.8M
Q2 25
$406.2M
$11.3M
Q1 25
$48.1M
$19.7M
Q4 24
$905.4M
$3.4M
Q3 24
$-220.0M
$23.6M
Q2 24
$353.1M
$9.5M
Gross Margin
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
10.7%
Q4 25
9.3%
Q3 25
12.0%
Q2 25
12.1%
Q1 25
12.7%
Q4 24
10.8%
Q3 24
13.8%
Q2 24
12.5%
Operating Margin
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
4.7%
Q4 25
1.9%
Q3 25
3.7%
Q2 25
3.0%
Q1 25
4.8%
Q4 24
1.5%
Q3 24
4.4%
Q2 24
3.4%
Net Margin
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
0.3%
3.3%
Q4 25
11.3%
0.9%
Q3 25
5.8%
1.8%
Q2 25
11.1%
1.9%
Q1 25
1.3%
3.3%
Q4 24
19.1%
0.6%
Q3 24
-7.3%
4.3%
Q2 24
8.2%
1.7%
EPS (diluted)
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$0.86
Q4 25
$2.30
$0.22
Q3 25
$0.95
$0.47
Q2 25
$1.79
$0.50
Q1 25
$0.21
$0.86
Q4 24
$3.92
$0.14
Q3 24
$-0.95
$1.03
Q2 24
$1.49
$0.42

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
Total DebtLower is stronger
$328.4M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.2B
Total Assets
$2.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.28×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$4.4B
$132.7M
Q3 25
$5.1B
$118.5M
Q2 25
$3.7B
$88.9M
Q1 25
$3.9B
$107.5M
Q4 24
$4.2B
$99.7M
Q3 24
$6.2B
$147.3M
Q2 24
$4.8B
$124.7M
Total Debt
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$328.4M
Q4 25
$3.9B
$626.7M
Q3 25
$3.9B
$655.5M
Q2 25
$3.9B
$658.0M
Q1 25
$4.3B
$659.3M
Q4 24
$4.0B
$625.4M
Q3 24
$3.9B
$688.5M
Q2 24
$3.9B
$657.1M
Stockholders' Equity
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$1.2B
Q4 25
$11.9B
$1.2B
Q3 25
$11.7B
$1.2B
Q2 25
$11.4B
$1.2B
Q1 25
$11.2B
$1.2B
Q4 24
$11.1B
$1.2B
Q3 24
$11.2B
$1.2B
Q2 24
$11.0B
$1.2B
Total Assets
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$2.3B
Q4 25
$341.4B
$2.4B
Q3 25
$334.5B
$2.4B
Q2 25
$323.1B
$2.4B
Q1 25
$313.0B
$2.4B
Q4 24
$313.7B
$2.3B
Q3 24
$322.9B
$2.4B
Q2 24
$308.8B
$2.3B
Debt / Equity
PFG
PFG
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
0.28×
Q4 25
0.33×
0.50×
Q3 25
0.34×
0.53×
Q2 25
0.34×
0.53×
Q1 25
0.39×
0.55×
Q4 24
0.36×
0.53×
Q3 24
0.35×
0.56×
Q2 24
0.36×
0.55×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

PFG
PFG

Segment breakdown not available.

SCL
SCL

Surfactants$453.7M75%
Polymers$130.0M22%
Specialty Products$20.8M3%

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